A line of Mermaids crossed through the large Door back to the real world. As usual, Yu Sheng lingered at the rear. Before stepping through, he glanced back one final time at the mist-covered streets within this “Mirror Otherworld.”
The Otherworld’s self-repairing trait had already activated. Streets damaged by the battle were slowly reconstructing themselves within the dense fog. No new Entities had appeared, and silence reigned once more—as if the frenzied horde and fierce combat moments ago had merely been a strange illusion.
After a brief hesitation, Yu Sheng bit down hard, breaking the skin on his finger. He flicked several drops of blood onto the pavement nearby and confirmed once again the coordinates needed to open a Door into this unknown Otherworld. Only then did he finally turn around and step through the Door, returning to reality.
Outside Wan Xiang Ji Mall, a special ambulance dispatched by the Special Affairs Bureau had already arrived at the plaza. The Young Man, who had barely escaped death, was immediately taken into the vehicle by several Special Affairs Operatives as soon as he crossed the Door.
He was swiftly given a thorough emergency examination to ensure he carried no residual mental contamination or other symptoms from exposure to the Otherworld. Security scans were also conducted to confirm no unwanted Entities had tagged along. Additionally, operatives helped him remove the residual tree resin from his body, provided professional psychological counseling, and briefed him thoroughly on essential safety measures for those who had encountered an Entity or Otherworld for the first time.
Above all, they emphasized keeping a calm heart.
Clearly, the Special Affairs Bureau had perfected a professional approach for handling such incidents.
By the time Yu Sheng and his companions saw the Young Man again, an hour had passed.
He sat holding a cup of medicinal tea, reportedly brewed to gently soothe and calm the mind. Slowly sipping his tea, he appeared slightly dazed, jolting out of his reverie only when Yu Sheng, his companions, and Little Red Riding Hood sat down opposite him. Forcing a weary, nervous smile, he greeted them awkwardly.
“Still sticky all over. That tree resin won’t come off completely, and I really just want to go home and shower,” the Young Man sighed heavily. “Also, I’m exhausted—like I ran three thousand meters. Actually, it must’ve been way more than that… There were all sorts of weird things chasing me in the fog.”
“A lot of them?” Yu Sheng raised an eyebrow instinctively. “What did they look like?”
“I couldn’t see clearly and can’t remember exactly,” the Young Man said, face nearly crumpling. “I don’t even want to think about it; it’s terrifying. I only clearly remember getting caught by a tree with legs that ran around. It looked like some old granny. It knocked me down with branches, spat resin all over me, and the next thing I knew, you guys were there… And this Young Lady here was still a three- or four-meter-tall Fox back then.”
As he spoke, he instinctively glanced at Foxy again. There was lingering fear in his eyes, as if the vivid memories and emotions were still etched clearly in his mind. Immediately realizing his slip, he quickly apologized, “Oh, sorry! I didn’t mean anything by that—it just startled me at the time.”
Foxy wasn’t even paying attention—busy as she was rummaging through Yu Sheng’s pockets for biscuits.
Although her tails stored plenty of food, Fox Girl still found stealing snacks from Benefactor’s pockets far more entertaining.
Little Red Riding Hood leaned closer and whispered to Yu Sheng, “He still seems slightly impaired, with a bit of slowed thinking. It’s probably the medication. Even though the Sanity Treatment Medication dosage given to ordinary people during first encounters is drastically reduced, it’s his first dose, so effects might linger for a while.”
Yu Sheng nodded understandingly, then turned back to the Young Man. “Big Nephew, do you remember how you fell into that other side?”
“The two Special Affairs Bureau agents in the ambulance asked me that earlier, but I really can’t recall any details clearly,” the Young Man admitted apologetically. “Honestly, I don’t even know exactly when things started going wrong. I’m usually quite absent-minded. This morning, when I arrived, I didn’t pay attention…”
He paused, struggling to recall more. “I just remember entering the mall through a side door—it seemed newly opened, so I went straight in, head down and lost in thought. Eventually, I noticed how quiet it had gotten. I looked up, and all the people inside the shopping mall had become blurry shadows, and a fog had crept in. In the blink of an eye, even those shadowy people disappeared completely. Suddenly, I was alone, and my phone had no signal, no matter how many calls I tried.”
Yu Sheng listened with a thoughtful expression, while Irene jumped in with another question, “Big Nephew, do you recall tapping on the shopping mall’s display window earlier? Did you hear something that made you go over? Did you see anything through the glass?”
“Actually, I didn’t hear anything clearly. Everything in the fog felt dream-like. I just had a vague impression that something moved behind the glass, so I knocked on it. But I couldn’t see anything clearly through it—just misty streets,” the Young Man replied, frowning in concentration for several moments before shaking his head regretfully. “I can’t remember anything else.”
“So, Big Nephew, you…”
“I do have a name, you know,” the young man finally couldn’t bear hearing the constant “Big Nephew.” He awkwardly pointed at himself. “It’s Zheng Zhi…”
But instead of easing the atmosphere, his words made the car fall into an even deeper silence. The mood turned stranger than before.
“…Then you’re still a ‘big nephew’!” Irene jumped onto the seat, confidently placing her hands on her hips. “Who gave you that weird name anyway?”
“My grandma,” the young man answered, looking innocent. “She wanted me to grow up upright and honest…”
Yu Sheng finally coughed twice, breaking the meaningless conversation. “Alright, Zheng Zhi—I’ll remember that. Judging by your current state, you probably won’t recall anything useful now, so we’ll stop asking. Go home and rest first; the Special Affairs Bureau will arrange transportation for you. If you remember anything later, contact us immediately.”
“Got it,” Zheng Zhi nodded at once, though his expression became complicated again. Hesitating for two or three seconds, he carefully asked, “By the way, you rescued me, so I should pay you, right? I heard you guys are professional ‘Spirit Realm Detectives,’ and Spirit Realm Detectives charge money for their services…”
Seeing their puzzled faces, he quickly explained, afraid they might misunderstand, “I have money, I really do. Maybe not a lot, though—I just don’t know your usual fees…”
His nervousness and uncertainty made him sound timid and awkward.
Yu Sheng and Little Red Riding Hood exchanged glances, both a bit amused yet sympathetic.
“You don’t have to worry about that,” Little Red Riding Hood said helplessly. “Spirit Realm Detectives aren’t heartless money-making machines. Unless someone specifically hires us beforehand for a rescue mission, our rule is always to save anyone trapped by accident, regardless of payment. The Special Affairs Bureau has their own system for rewarding these cases.”
Only then did Zheng Zhi relax, scratching his head with another embarrassed smile.
“But there’s something else I have to tell you,” Little Red Riding Hood suddenly continued. “I’m not sure if the Special Affairs Bureau warned you… but from now on, you need to be careful.”
Zheng Zhi’s expression changed notably. With a bitter smile, he spread his hands. “They did.”
“Once you’ve dealt with the ‘other side,’ you build a connection with those things beyond the boundary of rationality—a link that cannot be undone,” Little Red Riding Hood said seriously. “From now on, you’ll likely start seeing things ordinary people can’t—hidden doors and secret entities. Considering your natural ‘High Sensitivity, Low Stability’ constitution, this might become even more pronounced, and it’s highly probable you’ll fall into an Otherworld again.”
“…The Special Affairs Bureau said the same thing,” Zheng Zhi’s hands tightened together until his knuckles turned white. “They said they’d arrange for community registration. I can pick up medication from the ‘anomalous doctors,’ and after the adjustment period, I can switch to reduced doses of Sanity Blocking Agents to weaken my connection to the ‘other side.’ They’ll also provide follow-up training, teaching me basic Mysticism knowledge to protect myself if anything happens again.”
As he spoke, he sighed deeply. “Ironically, that was my uncle’s biggest fear, and now it’s happening to me.”
“It’s good you know,” Little Red Riding Hood nodded gently. “Then I won’t put more pressure on you. Go home, relax, take a bath, have a good sleep, eat and drink as you normally would. Worrying doesn’t help. Trust the Special Affairs Bureau and the Council; use the emergency number they gave you, or just reach out to us directly if something happens.”
Zheng Zhi left with a gloomy face, taking the Special Affairs Bureau’s car home.
Yu Sheng stepped out of the vehicle, watching Zheng Zhi leave, and muttered softly, “Poor guy—such rotten luck…”
“It is unlucky,” Liu Bing’s voice came from beside him. “But in Borderland, cases like his are pretty common.”
Liu Bing then turned, facing Yu Sheng and Little Red Riding Hood directly.
“I’ve reported everything to my superiors, including your reward application. You saved a life, discovered a brand-new Otherworld, and gathered valuable first-hand data. You’ll receive a generous bonus—probably around three to four hundred thousand. It’ll be directly transferred into the accounts of ‘Fairy Tale’ and the ‘Hotel.’”
Hearing this, Yu Sheng’s face immediately lit up, his smile now genuinely heartfelt.
He was simply a pure, straightforward kind of guy.
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation